PANAMA People entered their villge

People show their power       

Good governance failed to keep the promise; Panama landless people enter to their lands 

Despite the Cabinet decision taken at the Cabinet meeting held on 11th February 2015 under the new Good Governance government, which sited "Meanwhile, it was also decided to release the lands under the control of the Air Force in the Panama area in the Eastern Province  but government and the authorities not kept their promise to release lands in Panama to its genuine owners.

The relevant authorities including district secretary of Ampara and divisional secretary of Lahugala are dragging the issue providing false information to the people. As the most resent promise, district secretary of Ampara had said the people that they will distribute the lands among people on 25th March 2015, which again went in vain.

As a result, the frustrated landless people in Panama has re-entered to their lands 27th March 2016 despites the threats from Police and are-force. More than 40 villagers with their children and toddlers has gone to their lands and re-occupied them. They have cleared the old-temple building in the land area stay and some of them are staying under the trees with their children.

The police officers  and divisional secretary has come to the scene to discuss with the villagers, but villagers has disagree to leave the lands without a genuine decision from the authorities to provide the lands back to the people.

Then they brought court order but people and civil organization and media challenge the order because in that letter there is no proper legal calcification and also they have given this letter after they entered the village. So people got the legal advice from the lowers .Finally they went to the court at Pothuwil on 28 th March .So they were asked to bring all the documents to prove the ownership of the land on 30 th March .In the same time  people were asked to come to the court because they were given court order letter by the panama police.

Lahugala DS  

   Panama people won the court case held at Pothuwil Magistrate court on 30 th March  .All the charges were dismissed and ordered to allow people to move .Then after that people, media and civil society leaders visit the Ragamvila.

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D.N.Bandara"s House 

Herman kumara NAFSO Conviner and team enter the Ragamvila